On April 2, 2019, Valentino Gonzato, an Italian reporter with the daily newspaper Il Giornale di Vicenza, was assaulted by a group of seven people while reporting in Fornaci Park in Vicenza, a city in Northern Italy, according to his employer.
The group threatened the reporter, spat on him, and punched and kicked him, according to Il Giornale di Vicenza; members of the group also stole his phone. The paper reported that Gonzato suffered injuries and was taken to a local emergency room. It did not specify the extent of his injuries.
According to regional news website Il Gazettino, police intervened in the assault and arrested seven people. The police also recovered Gonzato’s phone, the website reported.
CPJ emailed questions about the investigation to the local police in Vicenza but did not receive a reply. CPJ’s emailed request for comment to Il Giornale di Vicenza also did not receive a response.
According to Il Giornale di Vicenza, Gonzato was documenting the presence of drug dealers and tent encampments in the park when he was attacked.